At the time, I wasn’t sure I could conceive of a stupider (and more cruel) way to have killed your dog than because of a mall shopping emergency, but it’s good to know that people are setting that stupid bar even higher every day. Turns out that scented candle withdrawal wasn’t the real reason why they just had to leave her in the car on a sweltering July day.

Two Waltham residents will be charged with animal cruelty after their dog died of massive heat trauma from being left inside a car outside the Watertown Mall.

According to Watertown police, a 39-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman who shared ownership of the dog will be summonsed to Waltham District Court. No date has been set yet.

On July 16 at 12:42 p.m., police responded to a call from Main Street at Church Street with reports of an injured dog.

Upon arrival the couple 3-year-old female French bulldog appeared “limp and unconscious” with no signs of trauma. The couple told police they left the dog unattended in their car for close to a half hour while inside the Watertown Mall at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

The couple reportedly told police that they took the dog with them to prevent her from peeing inside their home.

Honestly, have people never heard of crates? They are these magical inventions that have been around for eons. And yes, I know that Frenchies possibly one of the most frustrating dogs alive when it comes to housebreaking. I’ve seen skilled trainers reducing to quivering bundles of nerves after a run in with a French Bulldog and a Persian rug, but holy cow, the options other than roasting your dog to death in car are almost legion. Wee wee pads, puppy diapers, crating, tile floors… or just re home the poor thing to someone willing to deal with it.

There’s just no excuse for this, none at all.The only consolation is that it looks like they will be facing charges after all –

O’Reilly said causing an animal to be subjected to unnecessary cruelty or suffering is a felony in Massachusetts, and is punishable by imprisonment for up to two and a half years and a fine of $2,500.

If you’re in the Massachusetts area, rest assured that I will be blogging the shit out of this story, and nagging you all to go to court and heckle these dog murdering scumbags into next week.

My boss just got in a screaming fight with a guy in a parking lot who left his black lab in the car for 45 minutes, windows not even cracked! She called the cops who waited with her but told her that there was nothing they could do..

She said the dog was foaming and panting and looking very not good… and the dumb ass actually said “it’s been 10 minutes” to which she said “it’s been 45!” and the cop told HER to leave.. and there was no law against locking the dog in the car…